1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to holders for small items and in particular to a school box for holding and carrying school supplies such as pencils, crayons, glue, scissors and coins.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bags, packs and other containers for holding and organizing small articles have been in use for many years. Containers for holding and transporting items such as school supplies, cosmetics and other personal items are often made of soft materials such as fabric or flexible plastic. The advantages of utilizing fabric, plastic or a mixture of the two materials for the container body include washability and durability. Such materials are usually inexpensive and closure devices such as zippers, snaps and hook-and-loop fasteners are easily sewn or otherwise adhered to materials. The use of fabric for the container body also makes it easy to provide compartments within the container by simply sewing pockets to the container walls.
However, there are disadvantages to containers made from flexible materials. Because of the flexibility of the container, objects inside often shift during transport, even if located in pockets, unless each pocket is individually secured by a snap, zipper or hook-and-loop closure. Because the container is soft and flexible, the articles within are more likely to be damaged if the container is dropped or impacted against another object during transport. If not completely enclosed within individual compartments, articles within the container may damage other articles in the container upon impact with the ground or other objects.
Furthermore, access to the items in a fabric container may be limited to a single opening at one end of the container, restricting the number and size of compartments within the container. The prior art includes material bags or packs that fold open to a flat configuration allowing for access to the entire inner surface of the pack. However, such packs do not provide a user with an option to open either end of the pack without unfolding the entire pack.